Coveralls, or “boilersuits”, are a one-piece garment with full-length sleeves and legs like a jumpsuit, but usually less tight fitting. In one embodiment, coveralls are called boilersuits are so called because they were first worn by men maintaining coal-fired boilers. Coveralls are a type of overalls. According to the Oxford English Dictionary the term “overalls” (as a garment) was first introduced in 1792. As opposed to overalls, coveralls include full length sleeves. Further, coveralls often comprise a one-piece garment with full-length sleeves and legs like a jumpsuit, but usually less tight-fitting. Coveralls generally have no gap between jacket and trousers or between lapels, and no loose jacket tails.
Coveralls are in common use and are well known to workmen and employees in many fields. Coveralls are most often worn as protective clothing over “street” clothes at work, but sometimes instead of ordinary jacket and trousers. Coveralls are sometimes worn by students as a uniform, French police, and by US Navy, Army and Marine personnel.
In one embodiment, coveralls can be constructed of flame resistant materials. More form fitting coveralls with many zippered pockets, originally made of cotton treated for flame resistance, but made of Nomex® since the late 1960s, have been used as flight suits since the beginning of WWII. Use of flame resistant or flame retardant (known generally as “FR”) materials is important for protection of workers in high risk industries. For example, in one embodiment, coveralls with FR properties are used by employees working on offshore oil production facilities due to the risk of fire at those facilities. Accordingly, an employee wearing said coveralls is more prepared in the event of a fire near his person and garment.
Coveralls with FR properties are, however, very stuffy for parties wearing them. Due to their FR properties the garments worn are typically made of fabrics having more weight than typical (non-FR) work wear. Since said coveralls are often worn by industrial, utility, petrochemical, refinery, drilling, and midstream workers (for example), heat stress is of great concern to the wearer and/or employer. Further, because regulations often require the use of FR garments (such as NFPA 70E, NFPA 2112, and/or OSHA 1910.269), FR garments are often forced on unhappy employees.
Since most parties wearing FR coveralls are required to have on long sleeves and long pants made of heavy non-breathable fabrics, there is a need to develop a method and system to reduce the risk of heat stress and allow air circulation without compromising the FR properties of said coveralls.
Ventilated garments are well known for recreational fishermen in the form of a vented fishing shirt. Said vented fishing shirts comprise light waterproof material capable of providing protection from the natural elements but also comprising a vent stretching across the back and below the shoulder blades of the user. These garments are, nonetheless, incapable of protecting users where FR properties are required. First, said vented fishing shirts are not available as a coverall. Next, they are made of materials that are not known for FR qualities. Also, aside from a vent in a back portion of said vented fishing shirts, they do not provide ample ventilation for users in a high heat FR environment. These and other distinctions will become apparent to a party knowing the state of the art and having the benefit of the following disclosure.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/401,617, filed by Mr. Vereen, discloses a flame resistant shirt that has a standard front half, but a back half which includes a cape portion with openings to provide ventilation across the wearer's back. Vereen, however, does not disclose a complete coverall and therefore is not eligible for use in many regulated environments where coveralls are required. Further, by disclosing only a shirt, Vereen is more dangerous to wearers since there are additional opportunities for a belt, beltline, shirttails, or similar to hang up when a user is working in a tight location. Further, Vereen does not accommodate multiple ventilation locations and therefore is limited where it comes to reducing heat stress on wearers.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant disclosure as claimed. Accordingly, improved vented coveralls would be advantageous.